Pennsylvania State Archives
RG-26
Records of the DEPARTMENT OF STATE
The Department of State is headed by the Secretary of the Commonwealth, whose office was established under the Constitution of 1776. The Secretary is the keeper of the Great Seal and the initial custodian for many of the official documents of State government. Election returns, the laws and resolutions of the General Assembly, and proclamations, veto messages and other recorded acts of the Governor are all filed with the Department of State. The Department is also responsible for issuing commissions to appropriate elected and appointed officials; receiving and examining documents relating to the incorporation and regulation of corporations; the regulation of professional boxing and wrestling matches; and the administration of legislation relating to election procedures, professional licensing, and the operation of charitable organizations.
Secretary of the Commonwealth
- Attorney General's Correspondence, 1791-1894. (1 box) {#26.1} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Basic Documents of Pennsylvania Including Proprietary Charters and Deeds,
Indian Deeds, and State Constitutions, 1681-1873. (48 items) {#26.2}
[Description] [Holdings]
- Board Files, 1987-1991. (2 cartons) {#26.137} [Description]
[Holdings] [unprocessed accession #4122]
- Clemency File, 1790-1873. (68 boxes) {#26.3} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Courts Martial Proceedings, 1790-1859. (3 boxes) {#26.4} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Criminal Code Abstract, undated. (1 volume) {#26.5} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Death Warrants File, 1795-1873. (5 boxes) {#26.6}[Description] [Holdings]
- Distribution Books, 1856-1901. (4 volumes) {#26.7} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Executive Correspondence, 1790-1969. (108 boxes) {#26.8} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Executive Minute Books, 1790-1943. (44 volumes) {#26.9} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Executive Minute Books (Rough Copies), 1790-1943. (110 volumes) {#26.10}
[Description] [Holdings]
- Extradition File, 1794-1890, 1906-1914. (33 boxes) {#26.11} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Extradition Requisition Books, 1856-1867, 1874-1891, 1900-1958. (7 microfilm
rolls) {#26.12} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Extradition Warrant Books, 1867-1964. (11 microfilm rolls) {#26.13}
[Description] [Holdings]
- Governor's Minutes, 1838-1959. (14 microfilm rolls) {#26.14} [Description]
[Holdings]
- [includes unprocessed accession: 1838-1845 (acc.
#2603, 1 microfilm roll)]
- Index of Academies, Colleges and Female Seminaries, undated. (1 volume)
{#26.115} [Description] [Holdings]
- Indian Deed Book, 1815. (1 volume) {#26.15} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Internal Improvements File, 1790-1902. (20 boxes, 1 volume) {#26.16}
[Description] [Holdings]
- Legislative Communications, 1790-1843. (8 volumes) {#26.17} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Letter Books and Rough Copies, 1790-1861. (10 volumes) {#26.18} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Lists of Persons Who Took the Oath of Allegiance, 1789-1794. (1 folder)
{#26.19} [Description] [Holdings]
- Memoranda Books, 1790-1794, 1830-1833. (3 volumes) {#26.20} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Militia Muster Rolls and Inspection Returns, 1792-1794. (1 box) {#26.21}
[Description] [Holdings]
- Militia Letter Book, 1839-1861. (1 volume) {#26.22} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Opinions of the Attorney General, 1874-1927. (1 microfilm roll) {#26.23}
[Description] [Holdings]
- Orders for the Discharge of Prisoners and Commutation Lists, 1870-1895.
(36 boxes) {#26.24} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Pardon Books, 1791-1877. (12 volumes) {#26.25} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Receipt Books, 1895-1915. (1 box) {#26.26} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Receipt and Oath Books, 1793-1799. (3 volumes) {#26.27} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Record and Indexes of Births, Deaths, and Marriages, 1852-1854. (6 flat
boxes) {#26.28} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Record of Arms Contracts, 1797-1815. (1 volume) {#26.29} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Record of Official Communications, 1852-1935. (13 volumes) {#26.30}
[Description] [Holdings]
- Record of Opinions of the Attorney General, 1874-1927. (1 volume) {#26.31}
[Description] [Holdings]
- Record of Select Federal Communications, 1793-1794. (1 volume) {#26.32}
[Description] [Holdings]
- Recorder of Deeds' Accounts, 1947-1964. (3 microfilm rolls) {#26.33}
[Description] [Holdings]
- Reports of Executive Agencies, 1792-1940. (3 boxes) {#26.34} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Resignation Letter of Governor Ridge, 2001. (1 box) {#26.135} [Description]
[Holdings] [unprocessed accession #3807]
- Secretary's Correspondence and Related Material, 1973-1980, 1991, 1996-2004.
(19 cartons) {#26.129} [Description]
[Holdings] [unprocessed accessions #1367,
#1457, #4120, #4693, #4740, #5123, #5657, #5966, #6164]
- Selective Sales and Use Tax Tentative Regulations from the Department of
Revenue, 1956. (1 microfilm roll) {#26.35} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Ships' Lists of German Passengers, 1727-1808. (3 boxes, 1 volume) {#26.36}
[Description] [Holdings]
- State Employer Lists, 1923-1926. (1 volume) {#26.37} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Subject Files, 1987-1997. (8 cartons) {#26.138} [Description]
[Holdings] [unprocessed accession #4120,
#4121, #4123]
- Township and Borough List, 1840. (1 volume) {#26.38} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Warrant and Receipt Books, 1781-1790. (14 volumes) {#26.39} [Description]
[Holdings]
Deputy Secretary for Administration
-
Subject Files and Related Material, 1996-1998, 2001-2004. (7 cartons) {#26.139}
[Description] [Holdings]
[unprocessed accessions #4140, #4461, #5966, #6164]
Deputy Secretary for Regulatory Programs
-
Subject Files and Related Material, 1996-2006. (21 cartons) {#26.134}
[Description] [Holdings]
[unprocessed accession #4139, #4740, #5215, #5511, #5657, #5966, #6164]
Bureau of Commissions, Elections, and Legislation
- Appointment and Commission Books for Civil Officers, 1790-1973. (30 volumes)
{#26.40} [Description] [Holdings]
- Appointments File for Civil Officers, 1790-2005. (104 boxes, 45 cartons)
{#26.41} [Description] [Holdings]
- [includes unprocessed accessions: 1967-1974 (acc.
#1197, 6 cartons, 1 box); 1975-1978 (acc. #1564, 6 cartons, 1 box); 1981
(acc. #1923, 2 cartons); 1982 (acc. #2055, 1 carton); 1983 (acc. #2113,
1 carton); 1984 (acc. #2207, 1 carton); 1985 (acc. #2319, 1 carton); 1964-1988
(acc. #2342, 1 carton); 1986 (acc. #2510, 1 carton); 1988-1989 (acc. #2528,
4 cartons); 1987, 1995 (acc. #2819, 5 cartons); 1990 (acc. #3030, 2 cartons);
1991 (acc. #3261, 2 cartons); 1992-1993 (acc. #3746, 4 cartons); 1994
(acc. #4462, 2 cartons); 2005 (acc. #5417, 1 box); 1989-1990, 1992, 1995-1998
(acc. #5738, 1 carton); 2003 (acc. #6032, 3 cartons); 2004 (acc. #6286,
2 cartons)]
- Bond Records, 1867-1921. (1 microfilm roll) {#26.42} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Bonds, Assignments, Contracts, Acts, Titles and Other Miscellaneous Documents
From the Safe of Room 309. (2 boxes) {#26.43} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Bonds of State and County Officers, 1790-1808. (6 boxes, 3 volumes) {#26.44}
[Description] [Holdings]
- Commission Books, 1775-1842. (2 microfilm rolls) {#26.46} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Commission Books for Justices of the Peace and Aldermen, 1863-1969. (9 volumes)
{#26.47} [Description] [Holdings]
- Commission Certificates to View Plank Roads and Turnpikes, and Licences
to Take Tolls, 1840-1877. (4 boxes, 1 volume) {#26.48} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Commission Register for Mothers' Fund and Old Age Assistance Boards, 1913-1937.
(1 microfilm roll) {#26.49} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Communist Party Nomination Petitions, 1938, 1940. (2 microfilm rolls) {#26.50}
[Description] [Holdings]
- Communist Party Nomination Petitions for Philadelphia County, 1940, 1946.
(2 microfilm rolls) {#26.51} [Description]
[Holdings]
- County and State Appointments, 1836-1940. (5 microfilm rolls) {#26.52}
[Description] [Holdings]
- County Election Returns for Federal, State and Local Offices, 1790-1850.
(10 boxes) {#26.53} [Description]
[Holdings]
- County Officer Election Returns, 1965-1979, 1981,1983. (3 cartons) {#26.54}
[Description] [Holdings]
- [includes unprocessed accession: 1981, 1983 (acc.
#2344, 1 carton)]
- Election Results for Presidential Primary and Constitutional Amendment,
1968. (1 microfilm roll) {#26.55} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Election Returns and Appointment Papers of Justices of the Peace and Aldermen,
1965-1973. (5 boxes, 1 carton) {#26.56} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Election Return Files for District Justices, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987,
1989. (1 carton) {#26.133} [Description]
[Holdings] [unprocessed accessions #2345,
#2613]
- Engrossed Laws, 1700-1853. (526 boxes) {#26.57} [Description]
[Holdings]
- General Election Statistical Files, 1960-1984. (7 cartons) {#26.60}
[Description]
- Governor's Proclamations, 1791-1995. (17 boxes, 8 cartons) {#26.61}
[Description] [Holdings]
- [includes unprocessed accessions: 1979-1992 (acc.
#2529, 2 cartons); 1874-1937 (acc. #5442, 1 box); 1966-1995 (acc. #5736,
1 box)]
- [RESTRICTED] Industrial Police Files, 1976-1986,
1999, 2000. (7 cartons, 1 box) {#26.62} [Description]
[Holdings]
- [includes unprocessed accessions: 1978-1979, 1981-1982
(acc. #1332, 3 cartons); 1979-1980, 1983-1986 (acc. #1924, 3 cartons);
1999-2000 (acc. #5735, 1 box)]
- Justice of the Peace Commission Register, 1878-1910. (1 microfilm roll)
{#26.63} [Description] [Holdings]
- Industrial and Railroad Police Registers, 1889-1912. (1 microfilm roll)
{#26.76} [Description]
- Law Books, 1710-1903. (98 volumes) {#26.64} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Military Commission Books, 1800-1944. (43 volumes) {#26.65} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Military Commission Files, 1790-1860. (1 box) {#26.66} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Militia Election Returns, 1790-1863. (49 boxes) {#26.67} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Minutes, Journals, and Miscellaneous Papers Relating to Presidential Elections
and the Electoral College of Pennsylvania, 1792-1992 (not inclusive). (1 box,
3 cartons) {#26.68} [Description]
[Holdings]
- [includes unprocessed accessions:
1964-1988 (acc. #2253, 2 cartons); 1992 (acc. #2602, 1 carton)]
- Miscellaneous Commission Books, 1912-1937. (3 microfilm rolls) {#26.69}
[Description] [Holdings]
- Miscellaneous Records Relating to the Election of State Officers and Constitutional
Amendments, 1796-1928. (1 box) {#26.70} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Municipal Election Returns, 1791-1828, 1834, 1895. (1 box) {#26.71}
[Description] [Holdings]
- Nomination Books, 1892-1971. (75 volumes) {#26.72} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Notary Public Commission Registers, 1893-1945. (4 microfilm rolls) {#26.73}
[Description] [Holdings]
- Notary Public Termination Card Index, 1945-1964. (8 microfilm rolls) {#26.74}
[Description] [Holdings]
- Original Laws, 1854-2009. (354 boxes, 69 cartons) {#26.75} [Description]
[Holdings]
- [includes unprocessed accessions: 1978-1990 (acc.
#2347, 7 cartons); 1991-1992 (acc. #2605, 3 cartons); 1994-2000 (acc.
#4124, 22 cartons); 2001-2004 (acc. #5558, 30 cartons); 2005-2009 (acc.
#5769, 7 cartons)]
- Record of Bills and Resolutions Received, 1855-1883. (12 volumes) {#26.77}
[Description]
- Record of Legislation, 1887-1960. (40 volumes) {#26.78} [Description]
- Record of Acts and Resolutions Approved, 1855-1860, 1865-1885. (15 volumes)
{#26.79} [Description]
- Records Relating to the Election and Appointment of Justices of the Peace
and Aldermen, 1968-1973. (1 carton) {#26.80} [Description]
- Redistricting Files, circa 1990s. (9 cartons) {#26.140} [Description]
[Holdings] [unprocessed accession #4871]
- Registration Figures, 1950, 1960, 1964, 1966, 1967-1972. (1 microfilm roll)
{#26.81} [Description]
- Return Books of Soldiers' Votes, 1861-1865, 1918. (27 boxes) {#26.82}
[Description] [Holdings]
- [includes unprocessed accession: 1864 (acc. #3037
& #3376, 1 box)
- Returns for the Presidential Election of 1884. (2 boxes) {#26.83}
- State and Federal Election Returns, 1963-2006. (10 boxes, 66 cartons) {#26.84}
[Description] [Holdings]
- [includes unprocessed accessions: 1971-1989 (acc.
#2254, 13 cartons); 1987-1994 (acc. #2613, 5 cartons, 1 box); 1994-1998
(acc. #4125, 10 cartons); 1914-1993 (acc. #4126, 14 cartons); 1995-1998
(acc. #4144, 5 cartons); 1998-2003 (acc. #4874, 7 cartons); 1998-2003
(acc. #4875, 2 cartons); 2004-2005 (acc. #5737, 2 cartons)]
- State Campaign Expense Account Files, 1982, 1992, 2000. (106 cartons) {#26.85}
[Description] [Holdings]
[Searchable
Online Database]
- [includes unprocessed accessions: 2000 (acc. #4839,
45 cartons)]
- Supreme Court, Superior Court, Common Pleas Court, and Orphans Court Judge
Commission Registers, 1893-1984. (1 microfilm roll, 2 cartons) {#26.86}
[Description] [Holdings]
- [includes unprocessed accession: 1943-1984 (acc.
#2346, 2 cartons)]
- Volunteer Police Registers, 1941-1946. (1 microfilm roll) {#26.87}
[Description]
- Voting Machine Records, 1924, 1931-1933, 1942. (2 cartons) {#26.122}
[Description] [Holdings]
[unprocessed accession #535]
- Unpublished Private Acts, 1847-1874. (25 boxes) {#26.88} [Description]
Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs
- Bureau Commissioners' Correspondence, 1961-2008. (134 cartons, 1 box) {#26.89}
[Description] [Holdings]
- [includes unprocessed accessions: 1983-1984 (acc.
#2057, 9 cartons); 1985-1988 (acc. #2542, 7 cartons); 1987-1991 (acc.
#2645, 1 carton); 1987-1990 (acc. #2877, 7 cartons); 1989-1991 (acc. #3046,
6 cartons); 1992 (acc. #3260, 6 cartons); 1994 (acc. #3748, 2 cartons);
1992-1998 (acc. #5140, 23 cartons); 2000 (acc. #5217, 3 cartons); 2001
(acc. #5575, 1 carton); 1997-2004 (acc. #5658, 2 cartons); 2002 (acc.
#5781, 2 cartons); 2003 (acc. #5950, 2 cartons); 2004-2008 (acc. #6165,
5 cartons)]
- Educational Facilities Files, 1982-1984. (2 cartons) {#26.131} [Description]
[Holdings] [unprocessed accession
#2058]
- Minutes and Agenda of Licensing Boards, 1949-2006. (83 cartons) {#26.132}
[Description] [Holdings]
[unprocessed accessions #3274, #3619, #3715, #5127, #5140, #5218, #5574, #5782,
#5950, #5951, #6166]
(See seperate licensing board records below for more minutes and agenda)
Real Estate Commission
State Board of Chiropody
State Board of Cosmetology
State Board of Dentistry
- Index of Licensed Practitioners of Dentistry in Pennsylvania, 1897-1977
(5 volumes) {#26.130} [Description]
[Holdings] [unprocessed accession
#1957]
State Board of Examiners of Public Accountants
State Board of Funeral Directors
State Board of Medical Education and Licensure
State Board of Nurse Examiners
State Board of Optometrical Examiners
State Board of Osteopathic Examiners
State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners
- Index of Licensed Physical Therapists in Pennsylvania, 1915-1980. (1 volume) {#26.104} [Description]
State Dental Council and Examining Board
Commission on Charitable Organizations
- Charitable Solicitations Registration File, 1924-1961, 1963-1988. (271 cartons)
{#26.106} [Description] [Holdings]
- [includes unprocessed accession: 1986-1988, (acc. #2056, 37 cartons)]
Corporation Bureau
- Articles of Incorporation, [ca. 1810-1980]. (33 cartons and 61 boxes of
microfilm) {#26.107} [Description]
- Blair, Erie and Washington County Charter Books, 1846-1993. (62 volumes)
{#26.114} [Description] [Holdings]
- Charter Books, 1812-1875. (8 volumes) {#26.108} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Corporation Card Index File, undated. (1 carton) {#26.109} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Corporation Indexes, [ca. 1794-1920]. ( 5 volumes) {#26.110} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Letters Patent, 1814-1874, 1902-1927. (43 boxes) {#26.111} [Description]
[Holdings]
- Miscellaneous Card Files, 1927-1974. (7 microfilm rolls) {#26.141} [Description]
[Holdings] [unprocessed accession #4697]
- Record Book and Index of Corporations Created, circa 1791-1873. (1 volume)
{#26.112} [Description] [Holdings]
- Record of Letters Patent Granted and Miscellaneous Corporate Changes, 1874-1879.
(1 volume) {#26.113} [Description]
[Holdings]
General Counsel Office
- Correspondence and Related Material, 1975-1982. (30 cartons) {#26.125}
[Description] [Holdings]
[unprocessed accessions #1236, #1370, #1455, #1563, #1674, #2053]
- Legal Case Files, 1976-1983. (6 cartons) {#26.126} [Description]
[Holdings] [unprocessed accessions #1371,
#1454, #1675, #2054]
Press Office
last minimal processing update 11/26/2012, acc. #6286 (snoel)